Two brides for the billionaire

chapter 2: Double trouble

"This is it?" Mia murmured, resting her cheek on the car window as James's Mercedes passed through the grand iron gates. The Bennett estate lay out in front of them, shining with white stone and towering windows.

James adjusted his tie beside her. "Having second thoughts?"

"About a dozen per minute," Mia admitted, smoothing down the simple blue dress James had bought her that morning.

It was the most beautiful outfit she had worn in months, yet as she stood in front of the vast mansion, she felt terribly out of place.

The gates opened quietly, and James's vehicle made a crunch on the gravel driveway. Mia's heart raced faster with every bend, every sight of well kept gardens and elegant marble fountains.This world was so far removed from her tiny apartment and waitressing jobs that it felt like stepping into a different planet.

They were halfway to the main entrance when another car pulled up beside them – a sleek black Bentley that probably cost more than Mia would make in ten lifetimes. The door swung open, revealing a woman whose presence made Mia's new dress seem like a potatoe sack.

She was tall and elegant, possessing a face that would be perfect for magazine covers. Her designer gown embraced her curves perfectly, and even the way she walked scream money and class . Behind her, a well-dressed man in a costly suit assisted her with her bags.

"Who is she?" Mia asked, though she already knew the answer wouldn't be good.

"Selen Rivera, I wonder what she's doing here." James growled, parking the car. "And that's Marcus with her, Harry's other best friend. This isn't good."

James and Mia went toward them. Selen's flawlessly shaped eyebrows lifted as she gave Mia a dismissive look.

"James," Marcus called out, his friendly tone at odds with his tense expression. "What a surprise. I thought Harry asked me to handle the arrangement."

"Funny, he asked me the same thing," James shot back. "What are you playing at, Marcus?"

"Me? You're the one showing up with..." Marcus waved vaguely at Mia, who felt her cheeks burn.

"A woman with actual substance," James finished. "Not a professional gold-digger."

Selen's smile could have frozen hell. "Watch your mouth James. I am here to play the role of a fake bride, nothing more, and I...."

" What is going on here?"

The booming voice made everyone jump. Harry Bennett stood at the top of the mansion steps, and Mia's first thought was that the photos didn't do him justice. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair slightly messed up as if he'd been running his hands through it in frustration, he radiated the kind of authority that came from running a billion-dollar empire. At this moment, that authority was intensely concentrated on James and Marcus.

"Harry," James and Marcus said in chorus, then glared at each other.

"Don't 'Harry' me," he snapped, reaching the bottom of the steps. "One of you better explain why there are two women standing in my driveway when I only asked for one contract bride."

Mia's stomach dropped. Contract bride? Singular?

"You said you needed someone sophisticated," Marcus said quickly. "Selen is perfect—"

"You said you wanted someone genuine," James interrupted. "Someone who could handle—"

"Stop!" Harry raised both hands. "You idiots were supposed to work together to find ONE suitable candidate. Instead, you've both brought two different persons." He ran his hands through his hair."Gosh! how on earth do I explain this to my mother, and now..." He trailed off, staring past them with growing horror. "Mother."

Mia turned to see an elegant older woman standing in the mansion's doorway, her silver hair perfectly coiffed and her expression curious.

"Harry, darling," she called out. "What's all this commotion? And who are these lovely young women?"

Mia observed Harry's expression shift quickly through various emotions before transforming into a blend of acceptance and resolve.

"Mother," he said, his voice suddenly smooth and controlled. "I was hoping to do this more... formally, but since you're here..." He gestured to Mia and Selen. "I'd like you to meet two very special women in my life."

Mia's eyes widened. What was he doing?

"You see," Harry continued, "I've been... dating both of them for some time now."

Both James and Marcus made choking sounds. Selen recovered first, sliding seamlessly into a brilliant smile. Mia just tried not to look as shocked as she felt.

"Dating?" Eleanor's eyebrows shot up. "Both of them?"

"Yes." Harry's smile was strained. "I've been... torn. They're both wonderful in their own ways, and I thought... well, I thought having them stay here for a while might help me make my final decision. Better than letting you arrange a marriage for me, right?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Mia's heart stopped as she waited for Eleanor's reaction. Would she see through the lie? Would she be outraged? Would this whole charade fall apart before it even began?

Eleanor's face remained unreadable for one long, terrifying moment. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her features that made Mia's blood run cold.

"Oh, darling," Eleanor practically purred, "what a wonderful idea. Let's see which of these lovely ladies is truly worthy of becoming the next Mrs. Bennett."

She disappeared back into the house, already calling for her staff. Harry waited until she was gone before turning on his friends with murder in his eyes.

"My office. Now." He glanced at Mia and Selen. "The staff will show you to the sitting room."

A middle-aged housekeeper appeared to guide them inside. Mia followed in a daze, barely registering the opulent interior. Behind her, she could hear Harry's voice rising as he berated his friends.

Mia glimpsed Selen's mocking smirk from the corner of her eye as she passed by, and felt an increasing sense of dread, And at that moment, Mia knew that the contract she had signed had just turned into something far more complex than she had expected.